1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for conserving fossil fuel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for optimizing use of renewable energy sources in order to limit fossil fuel requirements.
2. Description of the Related Art
The importance of renewable energy sources is growing on an international scale. Price and demand for fossil fuel continues to rise at an increasing rate. However, from 1996 to 2003 the use of renewable energy sources actually declined. Increased demand for fossil fuel is due to the convenience of using these fuel sources and because, until recently, the price for fossil fuel was relatively inexpensive in comparison to renewable energy sources.
Renewable energy sources can be replenished in a short period of time. The five renewable sources used most often include hydropower (water), solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass. Renewable energy's impact on the world's energy picture is significant. Many important events have occurred during the history of using renewable sources to generate electricity—but the overall use of these fuels declined by about 17 percent from their peak in 1996 to 2003.
The use of renewable energy is not new. Five generations (125 years) ago, wood supplied up to 90 percent of our energy needs. Due to the convenience and low prices of fossil fuels, wood use has fallen. Now, the biomass which would normally present a disposal problem is converted into electricity (e.g., manufacturing wastes, rice hulls, and black liquor from paper production).
Historically, low fossil fuel prices, especially for natural gas, have made growth difficult for renewable fuels. The deregulation and restructuring of the electric power industry could have a major impact on renewable energy consumption. Demands for cheaper power in the short term would likely decrease demand for renewable energy, while preferences for renewables included in some versions of proposed electricity restructuring legislation would breathe new life into this industry.
Use of renewable energy sources in the United States is not currently expected to approach that of the major fuels, and due to their limitations (e.g., their intermittent nature—cloudy days have no solar gain, quiet days mean no wind blows to drive wind turbines, dams are primarily for flood control, so hydroelectricity production varies as dams' water levels change), renewable energy sources may never provide “the” answer to all energy problems. However, around the world, renewable energy is proving to be of great value.
Recently, sharp increases in fossil fuel prices have once again stirred interest in renewable energy sources. However, as mentioned above, limitations of renewable energy sources are significant challenges to widespread adoption and use. Hydrogen powered engines, using hydrogen fuel cells, are another promising new fuel source alternative. However, the challenge with hydrogen power fuel cells is that they use isolated hydrogen which is rarely found in an unbonded state. Instead, electricity is used to separate hydrogen from a bonded state, such as hydrogen as it exists in a water molecule (H2O ). Using fossil-fuel based generators to generate the electricity needed is likely to cause additional pollution and global warming. In addition, when in use, hydrogen based vehicles are away from standard power-outlets that could supply electricity to convert bonded hydrogen into hydrogen that can be used in the vehicle.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that optimizes use of renewable energy sources using modern satellites and telemetry to reduce the impact of renewable energy limitations. What is further needed, is a system and method that provides renewable energy to a mobile energy consuming device, such as an automobile.